Emmanuel Macron says France will tighten laws on child sexual abuse

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the country will tighten laws around incest after the Duhamel incest scandal sparked outrage and testimonies from victims across France. In a series of tweets, Saturday, Macron said that France will adapt its laws to protect children from sexual violence, adding that the justice minister will chair a consultation for making legislative proposals. “We will go after the aggressors," Macron said. “These testimonies, these words, these cries, no one can ignore them anymore against sexual violence against our children,” he added.  

According to local reports by France’s press, Macron raised the statute of limitations on incest to 30 years, which will be tallied from the legal age of the majority of the victim. French Senators, on January 23 introduced measures that incur harsher penalties and prison for nonreporting of the crime against the young victims. Any sexual abuse with children below the age of 13, consensual or non-consensual was declared a criminal offense punishable by the law by the French government, with €150,000 fine. ‘Anyone bearing witness to, or having knowledge of sexual abuse of a minor, could be held accountable for their silence for 10 years after the victim turns 18,’ the law stated. 

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Olivier Duhamel case 

France’s high-profile political scientist was accused of sexually abusing his stepson when he was aged 6 to 14. Testimonies poured in on Twitter as #Metooinceste hashtag trended on the lines of the  #Metoo movement. The trend started after the publication of Camille Kouchner's book, 'La Familia Grande’ caused a stir after it revealed that Kouchner's brother was sexually molested at the age of 14 by his stepfather, political scientist Olivier Duhamel.

As victims of incest took to the French Twitter to share stories of their unheard sufferings, France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron told French broadcaster TF1: “It is absolutely necessary that these actions are known, and that these actions are not silenced". Meanwhile, according to the France24 report, Duhamel resigned from all prominent political positions, including as head of the National Foundation of Political Sciences (FNSP). "I am stepping down from my posts after being the target of personal attacks as I want to preserve the institutions in which I work," the 45-year-old wrote in a tweet.

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